Sony A80L Review: Slim, Smart & Bright

Value When Reviewed

From $1,699 | Mannequin reviewed $2,299

Finest Costs At this time: Sony Bravia XR A80L (2023)

$1,498.00

Given simply how good it appears, it’s exceptional that the Sony A80L now not represents the slicing fringe of OLED shows.

There are a number of (admittedly costlier) screens with extra superior panel designs, sporting completely different pixel constructions and warmth sinks (Sony itself is backing QD-OLED), and much more elaborate sound methods, but the A80L, constructed round a vanilla-flavoured panel, is as satisfying a house theatre watch as any of its rivals. 

A lot of this may be attributed to Sony’s glorious XR processor able to intelligent cognitive pixel juggling. There’s additionally superior sound, due to its Acoustic Floor Audio system, and a powerful sensible TV proposition in Google TV. 

Time to take a better look. 

Design & Options

• One Slate design 
• Google TV sensible platform 
• 120Hz Excessive Body Charge assist 

The A80L is undoubtedly fashionable. Sony calls this a ‘One Slate’ design and also you’ll see it on most of its posher units. Undeniably cool, however be ready to purchase a really large AV bench to assist it, until after all, you intend to wall mount. 

The panel sits on two skinny ft, positioned on the fringe of the display screen. These ‘blade’ boots enable the display screen to go nearly flush with a bench, or be raised as much as make method for a soundbar. The metallic gray color scheme appears premium. 

Steve Might / Foundry

The rear panel affords 4 HDMI ports, of which two are 4K 120Hz appropriate. One in every of these can be the eARC channel, so there usually are not lots of choices on the subject of system enlargement. 

There’s a centre speaker minijack enter in addition to a digital optical audio output, two USB ports and Ethernet to assist Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wi-fi connectivity. 

The A80L has a terrestrial (YouView within the UK) tuner, and two satellite tv for pc options. It’s additionally appropriate with Apple AirPlay and HomeKit. 

The set comes with two distant controls, one a normal zapper, the opposite a slimmer Bluetooth wand with devoted buttons for Bravia Core, Netflix, Disney Plus, Prime Video, YouTube and Crunchyroll. 

Steve Might / Foundry

The sensible TV platform of selection is Google TV, the content material focussed sibling of Android, and it affords streaming service selection. Navigation is simple. There are curated rails for ‘In case you like…’,’Well-liked film’, ‘proceed watching’ and the like.  

You additionally get ten credit to spend on Sony’s personal Bravia Core film streaming service, which boasts increased bitrates than rival providers, in addition to the largest library of IMAX Enhanced films. 

The set additionally options Sony’s new gaming interface, which teams related information in a single place, like Movement Blur Discount, VRR and Black equaliser. The TV robotically recognises Auto HDR Tone mapping from a related PS5, which is sweet.   

Image High quality  

• OLED panel
• Cognitive Processor XR  
• Dolby Imaginative and prescient 

The A80L is a refined image performer with a Quantum Dot OLED panel. In case you’re in search of Mini LED then it is best to contemplate the Samsung QN85C or Sony’s A95K from final yr.

HDR brightness was measured at 900 nits utilizing a ten% window in Vivid mode, which is spectacular sufficient. In case you choose to look at utilizing the much less aggressive Customary picture preset, peak HDR luminance drops to a smidge over 800 nits. 

HDR assist covers Dolby Imaginative and prescient, however not Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ. There’s additionally HLG and common HDR10, however not HDR10+ Adaptive.  

Steve Might / Foundry

One purpose why the A80L’s HDR supply is so exact and naturalistic is a novel warmth mapping know-how that intelligently manages energy and luminance collectively. Additionally taking some credit score is Sony XR Distinction Professional and XR Triluminos Professional processing, which enhance distinction and color depth respectively. 

As you’d anticipate, deep blacks are dealt with with authority, whereas shadow element is given the area it wants. The set is especially good at tonal gradations and delicate color nuance. Pores and skin Tones are detailed and plausible.  

Curiously, Sony provides Filmmaker mode a swerve on the subject of picture presets. What we do get are Customary, Cinema, Recreation, Vivid and Customized. The latter isn’t an invite to tweak the image, slightly it’s the identify for the display screen’s Professional mode. Customary and Customized are our advisable settings. 

If you play Dolby Imaginative and prescient content material, from Disney+ say, image modes are usurped by Dolby Imaginative and prescient Shiny, Dolby Imaginative and prescient Darkish and Vivid.  

When Obi-Wan (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Disney+) tracks Leia’s kidnappers to the planet Daiyu in episode 2, he stalks the neon-lit metropolis at night time, giving the panel loads of alternative to point out off its close to shadow element prowess and HDR highlights. 

Of the assorted modes, I discovered Dolby Imaginative and prescient Shiny the higher viewing choice, even in a completely darkish room. 

Steve Might / Foundry

Texture element is great. No present has fairly so many darkish, shadowed robes as Obi-Wan Kenobi (Disney+). Ewan McGregor has loads of competitors for least stylishly dressed Jedi. Helpfully, the A80L can separate the darkish hued plenty, and retain some sense of depth and element. 

Movement Movement movement dealing with is usually efficient, smoothing digital camera motion and combatting judder, with solely minor artefacts often obvious. For stay sports activities it really works nicely.  That stated, I famous a pronounced flicker when the display screen was in its Customized setting, with Clearness set to excessive. 

Ensure you preserve Clearness on Low or Off to keep away from the flickering impact. 

Latency was measured at 17ms (1080p/60fps) in Recreation mode, which is comparatively excessive on the subject of 60Hz enter lag. This interprets into some slightly sluggish FPS gameplay. Issues enhance markedly whenever you play in 4K 120Hz mode, which supplies buttery clean movement. 

Sound High quality

• Acoustic Floor Audio system 
• Dolby Atmos 
• 50W amplification 

In the case of dialogue readability, this huge OLED is actually price shouting about. The three vibrating transducers fastened to the rear of the OLED panel create an efficient direct listening expertise, with sounds locked to on display screen visuals.  

Two extra conventional woofers are used to flesh out the mid-range and decrease bass. The set doesn’t drop significantly low although. I might have carried out with a contact extra weight there. 

That stated, this 5x10W system is extra rewarding than TVs with downward, or rear-firing, speaker arrays. 

Audio modes comprise Customary, Dialogue, Cinema, Music, Sports activities and a separate Dolby audio mode with Dolby Audio post-processing (which works nice with video games). There’s additionally variable sound customisation with adjustable encompass sound results, equaliser and voice zoom. 

Value & Availability  

The Sony A80L is out there in 55-, 65- and 77in screens sizes (XR-55A80L, XR-65A80L and XR-77A80L). These are priced at £1,899, £2499 and £3,999 respectively). 

We’re testing the 65in A80L right here and you should buy it from the next retailers:

The A80L additionally moonlights because the A83L and A84L. These are retail variations of the identical display screen, but additionally embody an 83in mannequin priced at £5,499. 

Within the US, the A80L is out there in 4 sizes: 55in., 65in. 77in and 83in (XR-55A80L, XR-65A80L, XR-77A80L, and XR-83A80L), priced at US$1,699, US$2,299, US$3,299 and US$5,299).

You should purchase it within the US from Sony, Amazon and BestBuy.

At this worth, the A80L should compete with the LG B3 OLED and you’ll try loads of nice options in our finest TV chart.

Verdict   

The A80L is a refined 4k OLED able to excellent element (each native UHD and upscaled), sturdy dynamics and a good HDR efficiency. It falls brief in a few areas – excessive pace HDMI provision is meagre, 60HZ enter lag is common and it disappointingly lacks Dolby Imaginative and prescient IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive assist – nevertheless it’s larger than the sum of these lacking elements. 

Sony’s superior image processing does a terrific job with all sorts of content material. Its imagery is nuanced and constantly cinematic, making the A80L a powerful advice for house cinema followers.  

Specs

• Sizes: 55, 65, 77in
• Mannequin examined: 65in 
• OLED 4k show know-how  
• Decision: 3840 x 2160  
• HDMI: x4  
• HDR assist: HDR10, HLG, Dolby Imaginative and prescient 
• Google TV sensible platform  
• 5x10W Stereo sound system, Dolby Atmos appropriate 
• Dimensions: 144.8 x 83.6 x 5.3mm 
• Weight: 23.3kg